The point of Six Sigma has always been to eliminate defects from a product or a business. By concentrating on doing so, it has become recognized as a quality improvement practice. It was never designed as a cost-cutting measure, but more and more businesses are realizing that Six Sigma, properly applied, can work to cut the costs of a business - and not just by identifying and eliminating defects in the items the company produces, either. By thinking about what the customer wants from a product, and streamlining a process to deliver that, Six Sigma can identify what a production team need to do, and what they could cut out - ending up with a company that delivers quality to the customer and a more manageable bill to the finance department.

A customer will never be happy to receive a defective product. The consequences of their doing so are likely to be twofold. Firstly, there is every chance that they will demand a refund from the company who has manufactured or sold them the product. If the complaint is in line with the company refunds policy, they will have no alternative but to issue the refund, thus hurting profits. Secondly, the customer may very well take their business elsewhere - especially if they have failed to secure a refund. The result? Another blow to profits in a financial climate where every opportunity to maximize profits needs to be taken seriously. It is therefore of great importance that a company does what it can to ensure customer satisfaction.

In this light it is clearly of major importance that the process of manufacturing is refined to the highest level possible. Returns or lost custom are one thing, but a damaged reputation is the worst thing of all for a company. While a few knocks to the bottom line can be absorbed, a continuing poor reputation is highly damaging in the long term as it will put people off purchasing from you even once things have improved. It will be a lasting scar upon the company's trading potential, as some people will always remember you as a company that failed to provide what it was meant to.

By taking account of your customer from the outset, you will avoid these chronic problems that are so damaging to a company, and as time goes on your company will only grow. Applying Six Sigma with the customer in mind will allow you to deliver a service that stands your future potential in good stead. The result for your bottom line will be just what you needed.